Andy's 4"dcc road loco

Andy: outstanding finish, as ever. I simply spray painted the white plastic pump gear black with aerosol black paint; the plastic material will not take up any dye - tried. It is far less conspicuous once painted and where the paint rubs off the oil takes over.

Tim

Thanks Tim as does your I like the lining on the roof . Will paint plastic gear wheel tomorrow I've got satin black 
Going to fit pistons tomorrow and start putting parts on that can now stay on .

Andy

what an excellent finish and you will need to wear a welding mask when your driving your engine, that is sooooo shiny!!!!!! I look forward to seeing it dirty tis year.

By the way did you do the mod to the regulator rod buckle to ensure your closing the regulator handle against the stop on the main bracket? I posted it on HIGHPRESSURE'S pages https://traction.forumotion.com/t670p225-presedential-candidate#15307

Happy New Year

Brian

Thanks Brian for the kind comments .Im looking forward to 2014 rally season
Mod is all done.

Ok its countdown to saturday so the time has come for myself and kevyn are going to light a fire  () in my engine . 6 days

Good luck Andy.

oh no do you remember the problems Kev had when he put a match in his engine    , on joking Kev. Best of luck and enjoy it. When I put a fire in mine I got the wife to light it, first and last time. when the flywheel turns for the 1st time under its own steam it brings a lump to the back of your throat, then the banging starts and leaks etc. and the smoke on that new paint work...Don't get me started on that one      Good luck Andy and let us know how it goes.

Dwain

PS I saw a thread and it mentioned you and Kev might be going to Wainrights for his 50th in May, are you still up for that?

OOOHH Soot, ash, oil, paraffin, FLAMES!!!!!! It is all down hill from here Andy!!!!

Fingers crossed for you, I spoke to Kev on Thursday night (about pinball tables) and he said you were about ready after more plating had been done. Look forward to seeing pictures of your dirty engine in steam.

I am humbled the fact you guys are even thinking of come up to Lancashire for our little do, as I am with Lynn and the twins for offering the same. There is a 3 day event the weekend before at Chipping too so if you really wanted to have some fun up north you could come up for that too! It is turning into a Steam Traction World party with the twins possibly coming as well but I could do with some more road locos to balance it a bit.

Thanks guys will do iv run it on air last night it all turns over  . Had a couple of air leaks but not to worried about them. 5 days

Did someone say a party. Where is my diary.

H
Hi Brain let us know the details when/were. Iv been cleaning the engine so i can take some pictures before it gets covered in crap   .The only thing left is to put the wheels on. 4 days

31st May,

Chipping rally is the Spring Bank Holiday Weekend, the weekend before our party.
 
http://www.chippingsteamfair.co.uk/

2days  The weather not looking.to good on Saturday so it might be Sunday .

We'll today's the big day and sun is shining will post later fingers crossed.

The big day. Excellent!! Look forward to report on how it went!!.... It's snowing here!!

Regards,
Tony

Good fortune.

What no live video feed? Only joking.

Enjoy

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you today.

I hope Andy wont mind, here are a few shots from yesterday, I'll let him do the words, then I'll upload the video I have.

The last time it will look quite as clean as this, the wind was causing lots of blow back through the door and as I have learnt with all early steamings the firebox almost seems to be porus!!! with a virtual rainstorm putting the fire out for the first 20 minutes or so but we pressed on through this and got upto to 150 at ont point.



Again, the last time it will be quite as clean, those of a nervous dispositon ( Tony ) dont look any further it gets all mucky after this ( although Andy didnt seem quite as upset as I expected about that, does give it a certain genuine look   )



Nice clean tubes, I dont even remember mine loooking this clean!!!!



Andy loading up the firebox with the parafin soaked wood.



Of course there could only be one person to light it and that honor fell to George, Andys little lad. ( we did have to relight it at least 5 times but dont tell him!!! )



Roaring at last!!!!!



Looking on nervous and impatient as the steam slowly starts to build, after this is was a bit panicky as we had to chase a few early leaks as to be expected but also as expected a few cleared up under steam, especially the blow down on the sight glass which was literally pouring in the cold hyrdraulic and sealed completely under steam!!!



Video next but all in all a good day with a few jobs to tick off the list before the next session.

Excellent post Kev & well done Andy, that's a big step to take & sounds like it went very well, congratulations on doing what I have still to pluck up the courage to do!! (Oh! All that lovely shiny paintwork n brass!!)

Regards,
Tony

Congratulations Andy and well done, a big step forward for you. Did you turn your engine over too? Look forward to seeing the video.

I am guessing your now having a big cleaning session today   

Brian

On behalf of Andy I left him sorting out the issues, namely remove and refit the gauge globe which was leaking, then move the two eccentrics next to the water pump due to a minor clashing causing a nasty knocking noise. There was a slight leak at one of the belly tank front studs which will be a real pain to sort ( tank off etc ). A nasty leak at the stud holding the safety spring down which may not be right and the water pump which wont pump at all??? Very odd this one, balls arent stuck, lift height is right, fittings all tight, just wont pick up at all even in bypass??? Anyone else had any pump issues? We cant think what it might be or what to try except the packing might not be compressed enough to produce a vacuum or it needs to be primed somehow?? He phoned last night to say he had sorted the gauge globe and was just in the process of moving the eccentrics.....

This morning he rang to say one of the grub screws  holding the eccentrics he had loctited wouldnt come undone at all and finally he decided to drill it out. All was going well until the expensive hardened drill broke off right at the base of the screw some 40mm in the hole!!!!!        

That was about 6 pm and at 1am  ish he and his mate finally got the remains of the screw and drill out and in a position to continue.   What should have been a simple 30 minute job made a good day quite bad.... He is continuing to get on with the jobs and is hoping to steam again next week which should be an altogether less fraught morning.

It is quite amazing how tight his engine is compared to mine but then I had at least 20 hours running before the flywheel was even fitted which clearly made a huge difference and now I must have hundreds of hours under my belt, so as the summer progresses it will bed in. I realise now why the regulator issue wouldnt have been noticed in the early days because it needs loads of steam to run at this stage and until it will tick over on a whisper it wont show up, his regulator was letting by before we put the valve cover on.

Video is being uploaded as I type.

This is the video, should be good to go after 2.30ish

Great post, well done. Hope you sort out the eccentric

With best wishes
Simon

Great vid thanks for taking the time to post
Good to see the birth of another road loco

As for the pump are all the valve seats perfect? on mine I have noticed  casting imperfections which wont allow a 100% seal, not put it together yet
so not tried to see if it will pump, is the ram a good fit in the bore too?

Or maybe has the inlet for the pump been blocked by something?

Andys engine sure looks good though,Tony must have near fainted when he saw all that smoke billowing!

Thanks for the uploads

Kev

So where to start after finishing at 1 o'clock am this morning what a day . Has Kevyn has said a few leaks the worse one being the belly tank bracket studs   going start to take apart tomorrow . All the small leaks are done also need to pack piston rod Some more the safety valves leaking on the thread threw the base so will give stw ring tomorrow . But all in all very good day and yes brain I did have little clean up  hopefully will be in steam at the weekend weather permitting . 
 Also any one had trouble fitting the left  wheel I've taken out all the shims but not the two bronze shims in the diff and still will not fit i need about 1.mm . The axle is sticking out 222mm from axle box as instructions . Has anyone machined the casting on the right  so it sits tight against the wheel.
 Thanks kev for putting up pictures and video
Ps tony be brave and light a fire I was not looking forward but is alright .

Andy.